Augmented reality (AR) has been around for a while, but it’s only now that it’s starting to really take off. In 2024, AR Apps and Augmented Reality is making their way into our cars, phones, and every aspect of society.
AR is tipped to outpace virtual reality at some point and will be used far more often than the latter. In this article, we look at what Augmented Reality is, how AR can revolutionise businesses and 15 ideas for AR App development that you can leverage to build your own App Business.
But first, let’s look at what AR really is.
Table of Contents
- What is Augmented Reality (AR)
- How AR can Revolutionise Business Apps
- 15 Ideas for Augmented Reality App Development
- Final thoughts on Ideas for AR App Development
What is Augmented Reality (AR)
Augmented reality (AR) emerged in the late 1990s and is a new form of computing experience. It combines computer-generated information with user input from the physical world.
In contrast to virtual reality, AR requires users to view a live view of their environment through a computer screen or mobile device.
With an AR app, they can manipulate digital objects that appear within this vast real-life field of view, creating what’s called a mixed reality experience.
Technology will improve and AR will become much more integrated with our lives. By 2023, AR apps will have become more ubiquitous, available in countless platforms and more advanced than ever before.
How AR can Revolutionise Business Apps
Augmented Reality, or AR, has been around for a number of years now. For consumers, AR has been primarily used in games and entertainment. However, with the rise in popularity of virtual reality (VR) headsets recently, it’s becoming more apparent that AR has an important future in business.
By 2023, as per the above graph, there will be 2.4 billion users. Today’s consumer demand for diverse experiences is paving the way for many big changes that will benefit all areas of business including retail sales forecasting and guided tours to museums that are only available to memberships holders.
Augmented reality is changing business by making it more interactive and exposing different realities. Companies such as Apple, Disney, and Nike use augmented reality to create a whole new way of doing business with their latest innovations in the field.
AR will help businesses in future by creating new ways of working with customers. For example, McDonald’s AR app allows their Happy Meal Boxes to come to life. It was part of the McDonald’s healthy kids initiative, the activity was designed to get children excited about healthy foods in a fun and interactive way.
Nike used augmented reality in its Nike+ Training Club App which connects people who use the app with fanatics who want to be trained by others who use Nike products.
Companies such as Apple use augmented reality on their new iPhone 12. They also created an app that allowed customers to see what the phone would look like in various colours by holding up a picture of it.
This helped customers make confident purchase decisions without having to go through all the steps necessary for buying a phone usually associated with the old model. It also increased customer engagement since they could experience what they were purchasing before they actually made their purchase decision.
15 Ideas for Augmented Reality App Development
Here are 15 AR Apps for Augmented Reality development in 2023 depicted in an infographic.
We look at a more descriptive view of the 15 AR Apps below.
1) Use AR for Point of Interest Information
AR is going to be extremely useful as a point of interest information tool. This kind of AR app will mimic what Google Maps already does – users can see relevant information about their surroundings – but it will be far more advanced than what Google ever thought about doing with this technology.
Users will be able to point their phones at an area and see a detailed overlay of information about it right there on the screen. While augmented reality development has been around for a while, this kind of AR is much more advanced and will be integrated into the majority of smart devices.
2) Use AR in Social Apps to Augment Videos
Social media apps, while huge today, are going to be more immersive in 2023. Think Facebook’s metaverse. Users will have more opportunities than ever before to augment their videos with relevant data – weather information, location data, etc. – and users will have no problem sharing these with other people.
3) Use AR to Make Navigation Easier
Navigation is going to be super-advanced by 2023. The majority of cars will be equipped with augmented reality navigation that is more accurate than any GPS system can ever hope to be. Augmented reality navigation will not only provide directions, but it’s also going to show users exactly when and where they need to make turns. If you’re driving down a road and the app tells you that you have to make a left turn, it’s going to show you exactly where the turnoff is so you don’t miss it.
4) Use AR to Identify Plants and Animals
This is going to be a super useful app for people who like hiking, bird watching, or any other kind of similar activity. Users will merely need to point their phones at an animal or plant for the app to tell them what it is. This app isn’t just going to be available on phones – it will be integrated into smart eyewear as well so users can identify animals no matter where they are.
5) Use AR on Social Apps for Filters and Other Effects
Using augmented reality on social media platforms is just going to become more and more popular over time. By 2023, it’s going to be the norm for users to add augmented reality filters to their photos, videos, and status updates. It will be the same type of features that users love on other platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram, but it will be going far beyond that.
6) Use AR in Education for Hands-On Learning
Augmented reality is going to be a huge part of education by 2023. It will allow students to learn more about the things they’re studying thanks to technology that can show them what they need to know in a very hands-on way. Students will be able to see more detailed information about historical locations, learn how to do new tasks by watching others do them, and much more.
7) Use AR for Detailed Product Information
AR is used by companies like Vuforia that will allow users to point their phones at a product for detailed product information. This kind of AR is going to be available online so that users can find what they’re looking for instantly instead of having to search for it using Google or other methods.
8) Use AR to Find Movies and Shows
By 2023, augmented reality is going to be used by companies such as Netflix to let users find movies and shows they want to watch. The majority of movies will now have links you can click on within the movie itself that will lead you directly to the website where you can download it from. In addition, stores and movie theatres will have AR technology that allows users to use their phones in order to figure out what they’re buying as well as how much it costs.
9) Use AR in the Kitchen for Recipe Information and Cooking Assistance
Augmented reality is going to be used for educational purposes here – not entertainment. Users will be able to point their phones at a recipe online or in book form and watch an augmented reality overlay description of the food being made while it’s being prepared. Users can even ask a question about the recipe and get an answer using this kind of AR.
10) Use AR in Customer Service for Detailed Product Information and Troubleshooting Help
This is another example of the use of Augmented Reality that goes beyond entertainment. By 2023, this technology will be integrated with big companies such as Amazon in order to provide detailed product information and troubleshooting help. This saves time for users while providing them with much more detailed information than typical online stores currently offer.
11) Use AR for Monitoring a Baby or Elderly Loved One
Using augmented reality for monitoring an elderly loved one is going to become more popular in the future. By 2023, the majority of adult children will have their elderly parents live with them, and AR will be used to keep an eye on what they’re doing at all times. They can use their phones to see what their parents are doing at any time, and they can even ask them questions or speak with them using the app.
12) Use AR for Business Presentations
Augmented reality is going to make business presentations so much easier than they are today. The majority of people will have smart glasses for this purpose, and all of the information that needs to be shared will be in front of our faces at all times. This type of AR will make for interesting presentations that aren’t something we’ve ever seen before.
13) Use AR for 3D Printing
By 2023, users will have the ability to print things with their phones using augmented reality. By simply turning their phone on, they can use the AR overlay to create something like a model of a building or sculpture. In addition, businesses will be able to use this technology in order to help them print custom models of products that need to be manufactured in large quantities. It’s not going to be easy to pull off – but it’s going to happen.
14) Use AR in Video Games for a More Realistic Experience
By 2023, augmented reality technology will make its way into video games. This kind of technology will allow players to see their characters in a whole new light. They will be able to see them perform actions that aren’t possible in the real world thanks to AR technology. By 2023, this type of AR is going to become an important part of gaming culture.
15) Use AR on Smart Clothing for Multiple Uses
This is probably one that people aren’t expecting yet, but by 2023, the majority of smart clothing will have special features integrated into it using augmented reality. The fashion world will be revolutionised by AR. In addition, this type of AR will be used for other things as well. By 2023, special clothing such as sports shirts or jackets will be able to track our moves and give us important information about them.
Final thoughts on Ideas for AR App Development
In conclusion, it’s safe to say that augmented reality technology will be used in many different ways in the near future.
Numerous other examples of AR technology will be in use in the future, but these are some of the most important and exciting ones that will change our lives.
This type of technology will only get better as time goes on, and many people look forward to seeing what else we can do with it – such as becoming more connected like never before.
